Black Eden
by Kairyn Deliae
Summary: The future sometimes goes wildly off course. And during those times someone has to be the one to set it back on track. AU due to time travel. DARK Future fic. Rating might go up later depending on how mean I get. *Character Death warning*
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **A somewhat dark story that popped into my head. Slightly AUish? due to time travel shenanigans. This might end up having parings in it but that's currently undecided. I'm sort of just following the plot bunny down the rabbit hole at the moment.

* * *

There was a slight rustling in a dark narrow tunnel. Glass clinked against a hard metal surface and was followed by a distinctive click. A small flame struggled in the dark before managing to move over to the wick of the oil lantern. The glass was lowered back in place and the light was enhanced enough so that the rough hand carved dirt walls were more visible.

A skilled hand carefully took the lantern by the thin wire handle and lifted it from the old crate it had been sitting on. Uneven steps made the lantern swing slightly but, with how claustrophobic the passageway was, the moving light still illuminated both walls.

The tunnel went down at a steady slope and occasionally dirt would crumble from the ceiling to get caught in a head of blonde hair. After several hundred feet, a pipe cut in from the ceiling and followed the edge of the tunnel. The pipe was rusty and had been patched countless times with scrap metal. Even with the patches it dripped in places creating muddy patches on the ground to possibly slip in. Scuffed dress shoes stepped around these puddles with the ease of practice.

Finally, the light shone on a door. The blonde shifted the lantern carefully before lifting a hand to trace the front of the door. Though it was quite a bit smaller than the original this mini sculpture still had the smile that was so intensely happy. The lion with the almost petal-like mane continued to smile despite the cracks in the cheery yellow paint and the bits of the mane that had been broken off.

The blonde patted the lion on the head. "I'm home, Sunny," came the soft alto voice. He let his hand trace the curve of the lion's head to gently pull Sunny Jr.'s mouth down. Inside her mouth was a black hole but the blonde slid his hand inside it without hesitation. He fiddled with something for a moment before there was a click of a lock unlatching. Narrow hips nudged the door and it obediently swung open to welcome him home.

Inside was only a little bit better lit than the tunnel had been but it did at least have wooden floors and walls. Well, most of them were wooden anyway. With a sigh, the blonde closed the door and relocked it before putting the lantern down and dousing the flame. "I'm back," he called as he reached up to pull his cloak off.

"Oi, Sanji, what took you?" came the reply from further inside the shelter.

The blonde smiled a little and wandered to the back room. "Just got caught up," he answered as he studied his long time friend. "What are you working on?"

There was a big grin in response. "My best invention yet! I call it the Usopp-Frankie Ultimate Super Drill!" he said holding up the strange machine he was putting together. Sanji felt a pang but kept smiling anyway. Usopp needed to see the smile, even Sanji could tell that much.

"A drill, eh? That's good. You can fix the damn sink with it when you're done!" Sanji said before walking past the long nosed sniper to sit down on the edge of the bed that was tucked into the corner. He undid a few ties that were holding a gauzy net draped over the bed closed so that nothing got in. "Eh, Coby. Are you awake?" Tired eyes opened some and looked over at the blonde. Sanji smiled a bit and reached over to adjust a thick bandage. "You hungry or anything?"

Coby shook his head ever so slightly. "… 'm fine, Sanji-san," he managed to mutter.

Sanji nodded and carefully checked over the rest of the bandages. Several were turning red and would have to be changed shortly but for now they were alright. The poor guy still looked exhausted after all. "Rest then. Usopp, I need your help in the other room," Sanji said as he got up and pulled the netting that covered Coby's bed closed again.

Usopp looked over from his work before nodding. "Right." Sanji led the way to the main area of their shelter and sat down heavily on the many times patched couch. The blonde sighed and lifted one leg to rest on an old chest. "What's wrong with it, Sanji?" Usopp asked as he instantly rolled up Sanji's trousers to expose dented, unpolished, metal.

"Damn thing's sticking again," Sanji muttered as he let his head fall back while Usopp adjusted his goggles to better see what he was doing. "Piece of shit's not holding up very well."

"Well, what do you expect with how you beat it up all the time?" Usopp grumbled. "You've got to use your left leg more, Sanji."

The blonde scowled. "I can't help it. I've always been better with the right," he complained. "Just fix it best you can, Usopp. It just has to work a little longer and then it won't matter."

Usopp scoffed and reached for a screwdriver from the bag beside him. "I'm not a miracle worker you know." There were several minutes where there was no noise but Usopp fiddling with mechanical parts. "How bad was it this time?" Usopp asked in a whisper though he knew that if Coby cared enough to listen he'd hear no matter how quiet they were.

Sanji didn't respond right away but after several minutes he opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling where a grinning skull wearing a Strawhat was holding back loose dirt. "Aokiji is dead."

Usopp froze for a minute before sighing heavily. "That's pretty bad…"

Sanji nodded. "Paulie and Zambai too," he nearly whispered, knowing that those would hurt more. Zambai had been one of Frankie's. "… We're running out of Nakama…"

"Don't say things like that, Sanji," Usopp said harshly despite the fist squeezing his throat so painfully. "We'll always have Nakama!"

There was a long almost painful pause between them. "I know, Usopp," Sanji whispered finally. "Has that bastard Moria contacted us yet?" he asked as he continued to study the flag he'd sailed under for so long.

"Yeah, but he still hasn't had any luck," Usopp answered. "He says the poison is just too strong. It even eats through his zombies."

"Damn it," Sanji hissed as he sat up slightly. "Makes me wish Vegapunk was still around to help us out." Moria had been the last 'scientist' around that had even a vague shot at coming up with an antidote. Not even that psychotic Clown had managed to figure out an antidote to Pestilence. They didn't have that option anymore. "I guess we have to fall back to _that _plan then…"

"Sanji… if you do that you won't come back," Usopp said.

The blonde hesitated for a minute before looking over at his friend. Despite not wanting to, his eyes drifted downwards to the chair that Usopp was sitting in. The wheels squeaked and weren't perfectly round anymore and the entire thing was laden down with various tools and pouches full of Gods knew what. Sanji leaned back again and forced his eyes away from the sight and instead swept over the dimly lit room.

A white sword with dark red stains on its sheath was hanging on the wall above the sink. A small mikan tree was struggling in a pot in the corner. There was a bookcase full of long untouched books and resting against it was a violin case. A backpack hung on the back of the door and on top of the icebox was a battered Strawhat with a massive gash straight through it. "Usopp… This isn't the way it was supposed to go. We need to save our Nakama however we can," Sanji managed to say though that relentless fist had now clenched tight around his own vocal chords. "Once you fix my leg I'm going."

"Sanji, you just got back," Usopp protested.

"I don't give a shit. I can't stand this anymore. You stay here with Coby. He's banged up pretty bad," Sanji said before glancing at the wall that divided the two rooms. Banged up was an understatement. Coby was terribly injured. Sanji had seen the injuries before. They all had. Not even Law and Chopper would have been able to save Coby with how bad they were, even if they were around to help. It was just a matter of time.

Usopp fiddled with his screwdriver. "Are you sure it'll work?"

"Robin-chan was sure of it. That's good enough for me," Sanji answered firmly. He would never doubt his brilliant Nakama. She had researched so long and hard to find a possible solution. It wasn't perfect but they had run out of other options. "I'll fix this Usopp. This 'Eden' is shit."

The sniper tightened his grip on the metal still propped up against the chest. "Sanji… wait until tomorrow," he murmured. "It's too late to go now."

The blonde studied his friend for several long moments before sighing. "I'll get us some glasses… we could both use a drink," he said before carefully getting up and going to the nearby cupboard. He didn't hesitate to get out nine mugs and fill them all even though it would only be him and Usopp drinking. He would give the sniper his one night. It was the least he could do for his Nakama.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **OMG why do I write such horrible things?!

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Sanji heard him, like he always did. The sniffling and whimpering noises of fear and despair. The cook stared at the ceiling for a moment before rolling to wrap his right arm around the sleeping sniper. The soft crying tore at him like very little else could manage to do. "It's alright, Usopp. Everything's going to be alright," he murmured to the younger man. If things were different, Sanji wouldn't bother comforting Usopp. He would be of the mind to just kick the guy out of bed to shut him up, but he knew the dreams that were plaguing his friend and he just couldn't do that. It was like his little brother was crying and, though he was helpless to take away the source of the immeasurable grief, he had to do something to try and relieve it slightly.

It took several minutes and some more whispered assurances but slowly Usopp's tears stopped falling onto his pillow. Sanji waited another ten minutes to be sure they really had before slowly detangling himself from the bed. It was a rickety thing that creaked when the occupant even breathed but it kept them off the floor. With Sanji's forever broken prosthetic and Usopp's injured spine that was the important thing. With Coby taking up their only other bed, the sniper and cook had been forced to share but they were beyond complaining about such trivial things. The blonde used his right hand against the wall to keep himself balanced until the phantom limb he always seemed to wake up with went away. Wasn't that sensation supposed to go away after a while? The blonde shook his head and put the thought on a shelf for later.

Once his balance had fixed itself, Sanji reached down to the covers on the bed and pulled them back in place, locking the warmth against the bowed mattress and his friend. Living underground like some goddamned rat was pretty safe all things considered but it was also a touch cold and damp and they couldn't exactly light fires down here. They would suffocate themselves most likely.

Sanji rubbed his face as he walked to the leaky bathroom. The blonde washed his face and completed his usual morning routine mechanically. He couldn't help but be glad that they'd never gotten around to finding a mirror for this place. It made it more difficult to keep his goatee trimmed but it allowed him to avoid seeing the general run down state he knew he was in. He lifted his hand and combed his fingers through his bangs. Though he'd once decided to move them to the right they'd ended up back to the left to cover the multitude of scars from when that one crazy asshole had tried _really _hard to gouge out his eye. Sanji had gotten away with his eye but it had been close.

The last remaining member of the Monster Trio sighed and finished up in the bathroom before changing from his nightclothes to what he wore out. Though he still loved the way a suit looked on his figure they weren't much protection against swords and bullets and what not so he'd ended up in much different clothes than he would normally have chosen. Leather, though far from his first choice, had ended up being the best protection he could afford though he did at least attempt to disguise it with a long trench coat or the cloak he sometimes wore. If anyone were to see him walking down the street with leather on and a prosthetic they would rightly assume he had a bounty and probably have reported his existence, which he could not afford.

Dressed and resolved, Sanji went to check on Coby one last time. He almost cursed aloud at the blood that had seeped through the bandages. The damn wounds _never _fucking _stopped!_ The bandages would have to be changed but Sanji didn't want to leave Usopp to do them all if he didn't have to. "Sanji-san…"

The blonde looked up instantly. He hadn't realized Coby was awake. "What is it?" he asked softly to not wake Usopp who was probably still exhausted and hung over from last night's drinking session. Sanji had deliberately held back so that he wouldn't oversleep but Usopp had not been as forethoughtful.

"Can… can I go… outside?" Coby asked even softer.

Sanji didn't answer immediately. Coby shouldn't be moved, it would make his situation worse and probably kill him to be entirely honest. He was weak enough as it was. "Coby… you shouldn't be moving," Sanji pointed out.

"Please, Sanji-san?"

Again the blond hesitated. Coby had his eyes barely open and most of his skin was covered in bandages that were mostly red and damp from blood and sweat and other sickness. The former marine was only really easily recognizable from the tufts of pink hair that had escaped his bandages. He certainly couldn't be moved safely or comfortably. But… on the painful other hand… he'd been trapped here underground for two months just suffering and though Sanji and Usopp had been doing their best to ease it for him they'd run out of painkillers and had to resort to alcohol a little while ago. Hardly the proper medicine.

"It's going to hurt to move you," Sanji warned.

Coby smiled a little, digging blades into Sanji's throat and chest as the bandages were pulled. "It's alright…" The blonde couldn't come up with any other arguments so he mutely nodded and reached over for Usopp's wheelchair. His friend wouldn't mind it being borrowed and it would probably be easier on both Sanji and Coby to use it.

It took effort, a few curses, and probably far more pain than Sanji wanted to imagine to get Coby into the wheelchair but it was managed. Coby was panting some and had tears on his face but Sanji forced himself to ignore them. Instead, he leaned against the back of the chair and pushed his friend out as carefully and silently as possible. The tunnel was not easy to maneuver with a wheelchair but it was possible. Usopp did it himself fairly regularly when he went to get supplies and Sanji wasn't around to do it.

The end of the tunnel came out inside of a shed so that it could remain hidden and not have any stairs down. The shed was rickety but managed to hold together despite the breeze that tugged at the planks it was made of. Wedging his foot under the wheels so that the chair wouldn't roll backwards, Sanji leaned past Coby and pushed the door to the shed open.

At first, the light from the sun was blinding. The breeze brought the smell of salt water and grasses to chase away the unmistakable smell of moist dirt of underground. Sanji took a moment to close his eyes and savor it before moving forward. He closed the door behind him and then took Coby further out. The town they lived in had long ago been practically destroyed and all of the bounty hunters that lived there wiped out. It had been one of Whiskey Peak's sister towns in its prime. Now it was full of shanties and collapsed buildings. Most of the gardens were overgrown and the packed dirt of the streets were becoming torn up as nature tried hard to sweep back through. There were only a handful of refugees here but more than a few had huge scars from where tattoos had been cut or burnt off. Pirate and Marine alike had been forced to cut ties and that included removing any Jolly Rogers or Marine insignias.

Sanji noticed several people outside of their shacks with bottles in their hands already looking drunk out of their minds. They probably had never gone to bed the night before. Sanji ignored them and they returned the favor. It was a short walk to the cliffs that oversaw the ocean. The sun was about halfway through rising and was still warped into the ocean horizon. Sanji stopped and leaned more heavily on the back of the wheelchair. "This better?"

"… yes… thank you, Sanji-san…" Coby murmured.

"Sure thing," the blonde replied as he watched the waves hit the shore below and the sun bounce around off the ocean's surface as if nothing at all had changed. After several minutes of silence he tore his eyes away from the water to look at Coby. The injured man's pink hair was being tossed around by the wind and the bloody bandages were as gruesome as ever but there was less tension in his posture. "What do you see, Coby?"

There was such a long pause Sanji wasn't sure he'd get an answer. "Luffy-san," Coby murmured finally. "… he wants… to go on an adventure…"

Damn. Sanji really wished he had a cigarette. That would help with the rock he'd somehow swallowed. His eyes burned and watered but he breathed through it as best he could. "That damned idiot… always wants an adventure," Sanji replied, trying to keep his voice as light as possible with that painful strangling feeling he was dealing with.

"I shouldn't…"

"Why not?" Sanji asked. The blonde blinked away the distortions in his vision and steadfastly ignored the moisture that overflowed. "Bet Luffy would love it."

"He's… a pirate…" Coby managed to point out.

Sanji snorted and his lips quirked at that but it didn't really relieve the pain. "Yeah. That he is. But… I don't think anyone would care, Coby. You're allowed to have fun with your Nakama even if you are a stupid ass marine. Go on your adventure, Coby. Tell that Captain of mine I'll be behind you in a while. I'll make him something to eat…"

There was a long silence after that filled only with the sound of the sea breeze and drops of saltwater hitting the back of the wheelchair. After the sun had finished rising off the horizon, Sanji gently shifted his hand. Without looking away from the waves, he pressed two fingers to Coby's neck. A minute later, Sanji closed his eyes and let out a long breath. It was probably better this way.


	3. Chapter 3

It was difficult, both emotionally and physically, to lay Coby to rest. He had to do it though. Coby deserved better than what Sanji had managed but the cook would be damned if he didn't do his best to honor his friend. Once he finally did manage it, Sanji took the wheelchair back down to Usopp who was still asleep in bed. It occurred to the blonde to leave a note but, after several minutes of just staring at the paper on Usopp's desk, he turned away. He didn't know how to say what he wanted. No words seemed to really fit. Everything was just too damn sappy.

Sanji hated goodbyes anyway. He always had. After another minute of silence, Sanji dug into the pocket of his trench coat. He pulled out his golden lighter and turned it over in his hand slowly. It was empty of fluid now but since Sanji hadn't any cigarettes left it didn't matter too much. It was the last important possession he had really and he kept it with him at all times despite it being empty. He traced the engravings with his thumb for several minutes before leaning over and putting the lighter in Usopp's half opened hand. "Eat something healthy once and a while, loser," Sanji whispered before turning and leaving as quietly as he could.

Sanji shoved his hand into his pocket as he walked through the streets. It wasn't really cold and he was wearing gloves even if it had been but habit dictated he shove his hand in his pocket anyway despite the lack of unpleasant weather. It was a bright cheerful day in fact and Sanji's mood darkened in response. Damn nature. It should know better than to be all happy and shit. Hell, there were even birds chirping! Sanji scowled at the ground as he walked towards the port. This was not the best day to be doing this but he couldn't make himself delay any longer. For the sake of everyone something had to change.

As the blonde stepped up onto the dock he looked around at the sad state it was in. Nothing was docked anymore but crappy little fishing boats and a few dingies that probably leaked more water than they floated on. At the very end of the dock though, there was one small vessel covered in a tarp. Sanji managed a smirk as he went over to it. "Goin' somewhere?" an old man that was sprawled out across several barrels asked as Sanji passed by.

"Yeah," the blonde replied as he ripped the cords out of their grommets so that he could take the tarp off. "Got an appointment to keep. Keep an eye on Usopp for me, eh?"

The old man made a sound somewhere between a snore and a choking sound. "Sure sure… whatever ya say…" he murmured as his head lolled back. Sanji frowned a little as the snoring turned into a regular thing. The guy was completely trashed… again.

"Oi, don't pass out!" Sanji snapped. The man just continued to snore as the bottle of rum dropped from his hand to plop into the ocean. A stream of bubbles rose as the empty bottle filled up and sank nearly instantly. Sanji sighed and shook his head. It was probably useless. Instead of trying to wake the drunkard, Sanji just let it go and pulled the tarp off of the one-man ship with his right hand.

It was a sleek if somewhat battered little ship that used some of the recycled bits of the sub that used to be housed in the Sunny, most noticeably the nose. Franky had called it the Barracuda due to how fast he'd designed it to be. It had absolutely no weapons and very little defense except by pure virtue of how damned fast it was. There wasn't much that could catch up to the Barracuda, though it didn't have enough fuel to go more than the distance between an island or two. Any longer trips would require many refuelings or a more traditional ship. Which was precisely what Sanji had to go to get. He only hoped that the bastard would be a little friendlier this time. Sanji snorted even as he undid the ropes keeping the Barracuda at the dock. He highly doubted the bastard would be friendly. He never really had been before.

Sanji wasn't the best navigator in the world but he'd been on the Grand Line long enough that he could follow a Log Post and avoid the obvious storms. The blonde carefully climbed into the ship and kicked off the dock with his good leg. The dock creaked but stayed standing.

Sanji leaned back and unconsciously channeled a certain moss-headed companion as he closed his eyes and let the Barracuda do what it did best. Go. Every once and a while he'd open his eyes to double check the course and make a few corrections but he didn't have to do much. Especially without any pirate or marine ships around to mess with him. His biggest threat really, was the occasional Crusade Patrol and he wasn't in the really worried about that in the open ocean.

Even with the Barracuda's speed it took all day for him to cross the open ocean and reach the island he had been aiming for. The little gauge on the dash hit E just before he reached it, though the island was in sight. Sanji pulled out a paddle and rowed the rest of the way in, not really concerned with any sea monsters that might decide to cause him trouble. He hadn't been afraid of Sea Kings… well, really ever. The time they'd wandered into the Calm Belt being the only real exception.

It took a little while but Sanji managed to get the Barracuda to shore. He dragged the ship up onto the beach and into the dense foliage where it would be at least somewhat hidden just in case a hostile ship did drift past. Sanji sighed and kicked the sand to disguise the drag marks across the shore before starting into the woods. This wasn't one of the jungle islands that were so predominant on the Grand Line but rather a nice temperate forest with a fairly normal weather system that was currently Spring Summer. A bit hot and muggy but far from the worst that Sanji had ever hiked through.

Cicadas and crickets made a racket in the brush as the occasional bat swooped down across the moon. Sanji ignored the wildlife entirely and found his way to a small inlet lake tucked by the base of a mountain. Around the lake and along the river that led to the ocean, there was a small town. Only small ships could make it through the river to the inlet so it wasn't highly populated. Quite a number of the ships that were there however were wearing a familiar odd pseudo camouflage of blue and green. They were missing the marine insignias but they were unmistakable in their colorations. Here and there between them Sanji noted the far more eccentric ships of pirates and a few more subdued ships that probably belonged to locals.

Docks and wooden walkways spiraled several layers up and around the lake. Lots of little taverns and restaurants were tucked between shipwright shops and other supply shops. Sanji ignored most of the signs as he walked through the crowds. He spotted marine uniforms that were rumpled and torn and more than a handful of drunken pirates singing badly.

In the lowest layer of walkways, there was one tavern that had a hugely grinning cat wearing a top hat for it's sign. It was one of the less populated taverns but Sanji walked in fearlessly. There wasn't really anything that scared the blonde anymore. Especially not a fugitive bar like the Gentleman Cat. It only took a quick glance for Sanji to spot who he was looking foor. His slightly mismatched footsteps were signal enough who he was, so Sanji didn't bother greeting the other man. Instead, he reached over with his right hand and snagged one of the two cigars burning away in the other man's mouth.

"Thief," the ex-marine accused though he made no move to retaliate as Sanji slid onto a barstool and took over the task of smoking the cigar.

"Pirate," Sanji replied as if it were obvious. He let out a bit of smoke with a sigh and the bartender put a short glass on the bartop in front of him. It was quickly filled with a pale amber liquid and Sanji gave a nod of thanks. Sanji took a quick sip and put the drink down. It was watered down rotgut crap but it was alcohol and that was really the point. "I need a ship," Sanji said.

There was a snort from the stool beside him. "Blackleg, if I had a ship what makes you think I'd just hand it over to you?"

"Because we're out of options," Sanji replied as he glanced over at the bulkier man. Smoker hadn't aged any better than Sanji had. Though the ex-marine hadn't lost any limbs, he'd gathered so many scars he looked like a patchwork quilt or something. "I've got Robin-chan's translation. It'll work, Smoky. I know it will."

Smoker frowned and picked up his own glass from the bartop. "And if it doesn't?"

"Then we're dead anyway," Sanji replied before taking another puff of the cigar. He made a face. "Goddamn… this thing tastes like ass…"

"Then give it back."

"No," Sanji said before putting the cigar back to his lips. "You know the last time I smoked anything was?"

Smoker rolled his eyes. "Like I care? With how you smoke it was probably the day after they made smoking illegal. Got us both with that one…"

"You're one to talk," Sanji said with a halfhearted glare. "At least I don't smoke two at a damn time."

"I need the smoke to keep charged."

"Bullshit," Sanji replied instantly. "Now do you have a ship or not?"

There was a long silence. "Yeah. I got one. It's a piece of crap but it floats still… somehow not that those bastards haven't tried real hard to sink her," he finally answered.

"Good enough," Sanji replied as he picked up his glass again.

There was an even longer silence as the two men smoked and drank at the nearly empty bar. A few ex-marines and pirates came into the bar but turned right around when they recognized who was sitting there. None of them were stupid enough to disturb a member of the Monster Trio or an Ex-Vice Admiral with Devil Fruit powers. "How's Coby?" Smoker had been reluctant to allow the remaining Strawhats take the younger man but he'd relented for the simple fact that he himself had no way of taking care of him.

Sanji hesitated for a moment as he thought on how to respond to that. "… he's resting," he finally said.

"I see…"

The two of them lapsed into silence again and Sanji noticed Smoker stacking a few pebbles on the bartop. "You heard from Bellamy?" Smoker asked suddenly. Sanji was more than surprised by the question. Smoker didn't talk much when he started doing that stacking thing but to not only talk but to ask about Bellamy of all people was well… weird. Sanji shook his head in answer, deciding quiet was the way to go as Smoker carefully put another pebble on top of his stack. "Nobody has," Smoker commented. "Missed his last two check ins. I'd say they were wiped out."

Sanji let out a sigh full of smoke. "Sounds like it."

"This better work, Blackleg, we only have one place left to fall back to before we've got to flee to Skypeia and even that's looking like a no go," Smoker said as his pebble tower fell over. He scowled and started stacking the pebbles again. He wasn't concentrating hard enough on what he was doing.

"It'll work," the blonde insisted. "Robin-chan did the translation herself!"

The pebbles fell over and Smoker cast the pirate a glare. "Not that I'm doubting Nico Robin's translation abilities but she said herself she only had half the inscription to work with," he pointed out in annoyance. "That's why this was supposed to be a last resort."

"We're at the last resort, Smoker," Sanji pointed out.

The Ex-Marine stared for a minute before grunting. "Ship's out front. Little one on the end. I call her Haruki." Sanji nodded a little and finished his drink before standing.

"Thanks."

"Don't screw it up, Blackleg… everything's riding on this."

Sanji glanced over before taking one last inhale of smoke. He savored the burn of the smoke before grinding the cigar out in the ashtray. "Even if it kills me, Smokey," he said before heading out of the bar. He didn't have time to waste. The island he was going to was quite a ways away to sail on his own.


End file.
